Folder.



" ti LOOMIS.

I FOLDER. APPLICATION .mgo' DEC. 2, I914.

' Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

c. A LOOMIS.

FOLDER, APPLICATION, FILED DEC. 2. 1914.

- Patmed Feb 20,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

srai ns oIIAnLns A. mania,- or CINCINNATI, oIIIo, ns'sienon'ro UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, "on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

FOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' lPatentedFeb. so, 1917.

Application filed December 2, 1914. Serial No. 875,111. I

To all whom it may; concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LOOMIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new guides or. folders which are adapted to guide a strip to a stitching mechanism, whereby the same is secured to a body fabric, or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a guide or folder of the .above character with means for supporting the same, whereby said guide or'folder may be shifted without stopping the stitching mechanism for withdrawing the edge. of the material frci-n the range of the needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide' a shiftable guide or folder of the above character with means for automatically returning the same to its normalposition whereby thefoldecl edge of'the material may be again brought into the range of the needle without stopping the stitching mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a folder for folding in the opposite edges of a stripor strap and directing the same to spaced. needles of a stitch forming mechanism, which folder is so constructed that the same may be collapsed or contracted for withdrawing the folded edges from the range of the needles with-' out stopping. the stitching mechanism, so that the folded strip or strap will pass between the needles without being stitched to the body fabric and which may be again expanded for returning the folded edges to the range ofthe needles, at the will ofthe operator.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention, U I

Figure 1 is a front view of a sewing machine having my improved folder applied thereto;

Fig- 2 is a plan view of the work support, showing the feed dogs; the needles and my improved folder in position forguiding .a folded strip to said needles and in dotted lines the position of the folder when collapsed or contracted 'for guiding the strips between the needles;

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view through the work support and through the folder andirlso through an auxiliary folder which may be used in connection with my improved collapsible folder; V

l lgl f is a longitudinal sect1onal.,v1ew

centrally through the folder and also through the work support at the point of attachment of the folder thereto;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the movable .pai'ts of ny improved folder;

Fig. 6 1S a sectional view through the same near, the delivering end thereof on the stitching mechanism;

Fig.9 is a sectional view, showing a strap stitched to a body fabric, which is made in sections; 1

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view. showing the positions of the sections of the, body fabric and the strap relative to the needles when the strap is being stitched to the body fabric; v I g I l v Fig. 11. 1s a similar v1ew,'show1ng the to thev needles when said edges are withdrawn from the range of the needles;

Fig.1.? is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the invention,

7 position of the edges of the strap relative;

. the needles;.

Fig.' 131, a transverse sectional view-- snnilar to Flg. 3, showing the folder moved for-guiding a selvage edge strip;-

' Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view, showing a selvage edge strip attached to a body fablie; and i k Fig. .15 is a similar view, showing the edges of the .strip Withdrawn from the I21-I ige ofthe needles. 3

he' invention, as above noted, is directed broadly'toa guide, whether the guide operates upon =a s'trip having. selvage edges or whether it. operates upon a stripwherein the edges are tobe folded; have, however,

shownand' described. in detail the guiding device as embodied in a folder 'for folding the edges of the strip. In -the drawings, I have shown my 1111: provedfolder applied to. a sewing. machine comprising a work support 1, and an over- 'ha11ging arm' 2, in which reciprocates the needle bar "3 carrying two spaced needles 4 and {5. .The-xneedle bar 3 is reciprecated, bya needle leverfii'which is oscillated in the 7 usualmanner. Cooperating with each needle beneath .the work support is a suitable 3o complementary stitch forming mechanism. In'Fig. 2 of the drawings, I have shown the feed sections 7, which operate through the .usual feed slots 8 and 9, and also need-leopenings' which receive. respectively the ne'edles 4 and 5. l Mounted' in front of the needles is my improved folder 10. The folder is carried by a suitable supporting shank 11, which-is adjustably attached to the work support'by screws 12' and13 passingthrough slots 14. and 15, respectively,.formed in the shank.- The folder proper is formed in two sections, each of which is pivoted to the shank by a pivot bolt 16. This pivot bolt passes through an opening in the shank and a tension washer 17 engaging the head of the bolt bears against the underface-of the s'hank.

Each section of the folder consists. of a bottom plate 17 which is provided with' a v projecting car 18 adapted to engage the pivot bolt 16. The bottomplates at their outer-edges are curved upwardly and inwardl'y forming the top plates 19 which are spaced from the bottom plates.

which is spaced from the bottom late" and the upwardly turned :part thereo so that.

a solid section 22. The sections; of the {fold'ehare duplicates'with the exception thatthere is alatjerally projectmgextensron 2-3 folder about the pivot bolt 16.

. p Each 55 top plate also supports a folding tongue 20,

'on one of the foldi tongues which projects underneath the fol! i'ng tongue on the other section. The purpose of this extension is to keep the body of the strap fiat as it passes through the folder. Each, section of the folder is provided with a downwardly projecting lug 24. These projecting lugs extend, through a slot 25 in the work support. One' of these projecting lugs is secured by a screw 26 to a sliding bar 27.

.The'other projecting lug '24 is secured by a screw 28 to a sliding bar 29. The sliding bar 27 is slotted at30, so that the screw 9.8 may pass through the bar and said bar still be permitted to reciprocate within certain limits. A. spring 31 is attached to the sliding bar 27 at one nd and at the other endto a bolt- 32 attac ied to the underface of the work support. This spring normally tendsto pull the sliding bar 27 to the left, as Viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The

sliding bar 27 is adjustably attached at 33 .to an arm 33 pivoted to the upper'end of an operating lever 34. The operating lever 34 is pivoted at 35 to the downwardly projecting apron of the work support. The sliding bar 29 is also adjustably attached to an arm 36 which is pivotally connected to the lever 34. The p vot 35 of the lever is between the arms .33 and 36, so that as said lever swings about its pivot the sliding bar I 27 will be forced in onev direction when the sliding bar 29 is forced in the other direction. Attached to the apron is an'adjustable stop 37. The spring 31 normally retains the lever 34, so that it engages the.

stop 37. The lever may be. shifted by the operator by .a suitable knee shift or treadle until it engages the stop 38. This shifting of the lever 34 moves the sections of the The stops 37 and 38 are respectively below and above the pivot 35.

The shank of the folder extends forwardly and is bent downwardly to form a receiving guide 39 for the strip to be folded. Said guide has upturned edges 40 and 41 which direct the strip-into the folder. A rod 42 extends between said upturned edges and the strip indicated at S, Fig. 4, passes underneath the rod between the two guiding edges 40 and 41 and throu 'h .the folder. As clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the strip S as it is passing through the folder has its'side edges 8, turned over on to the upper face of the strip. WVhen the folder is in the position shjown'in full lines in Fig. 2, the folded in edges of the strip will be presented to 'the' needles'4 and 5, and said folded edges will be stitched to a body fabric passing above" the strip. In Fig. 10 of the drawings, I- have shown diagrammatically the.;strip S being stitched by the needles 4 and 5 to abody fabric B, which, as herein sh wn, consists. of two sections.

By shifting the lever-34 the sliding bars 27 and, 29 will be moved in opposite directions, so as to bring the lugs 24. near together and this moves the sections of the folder about the pivot bolt 16 to thedotted line p m sition shown in Fig. 2. In this position, the edges of the strap will be-turned in to a greater extent, as indicated at S in Fig. '11 Y of the drawings, and the folded edges .of

the strap will now pass between the two needles t and 5 and will notbe stitched to the body fabric. As'soon as the operator releases the lever the spring will automatically return the sections of the folder to their normal full line position, as indicated in Fig.

. 2, and this will in turn bring the folded edges of the fabric again into the. range of the needles. It will thus be seen that I have provided a folder which may be, at the will of the operator and without stopping the stitchingmechanism, collapsed or contract ed, so as to withdraw the edges of the strip or part being folded out of range of the stitching needles and upon releasing the con trolling means the folder will at once be expanded so as to ,returnthe edges of the folded strips to the range of the needles.

each edge of the bib for further finishing There are many purposes'to which m'y'improved folder may be applied. One of these purposes is the stitching of-a strap to a gar- -me nt,.as, forexample, in the placing of a bandon bib overalls. In this operation, it is desirable to leave the strap unattachedat processes in the garment. s In Fig. 3 of the drawings, Ihave shown an edgepgu'ide 43, which is secured to the work support'by screws 44, and said edge underneaththe bodyjportioi .of the bib. The folded edge of the bib and the edge-of.

by the needle' i Tlie*fold'er-an'd the guide are supported"independently of my 1m guide has an upwardly turned lip 45' for directing the top of the trousers for forming the overalls. This edge guide ext'endsabove a portion of my improved collapsible folder which guides the strap which is to be" stitched to the trousers and bib of the overalls. Located over the edge guide and the collapsible folder is a second folder 46 which iscarried by ashank 47 secured to the work support by the screws 12 and 13 which hold the shank of. the collapsible folder.' This folder 46 has a guidingwall 48 which receives the edge of the bib and turns the same the trousers are adapted to be stitched by noted that the "bi respective folder and guide andare secured proved collapsible fOIderQ 'vVhiCli may be at;

the will of the operator contracted or ex from the range of the needles and during the first part-of the operation the bib will",

be attached to the trousers and the line of stitching formed by the needle 5 will pass through the top of the bib without in any.

way securing the straps thereto- This is indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, wherein the direction of stitching is indicated by the arrow. Vv hen that portion of the garment is reached where it is desired to secure the strap thereto, the operator releases the lever 34; and the spring 31 at once automatically expands the fOlClQlf,tl11lS bringing the folded edges of'the strap within range of the needles which now pass through the strap and secure the same to the bib and the trousers covering the connecting seam betweenthese parts. When the opposite side of the bib is reached, the folder. is again collapsed so as to draw the edges. of thestrap out of the range of the needles, thus lea ving the free ends of the strap at each side of the bib for the further finishing-of the garment.

While I have described my invention as applied to a collapsible folder adapted for withdrawing the edges of a strap from the rangejof the needles at the will. ofthe operator, it will be obvious that the collapsible folder may beused for other purposes, and may also be used for withdrawing one edge 1 only of a folded part from the range of the stitching mechanism without disturbing the other edge of the folded. part at will or returning the same to the range of the stitching mechanism whenever it is desired.

I In Fig. 12 of thedrawings, I have shown such modified form of the invention. 2 In this view, the section 50 of the folder is fixed to the work support by suitable screws 51. The

section 17 is similar to that above described where both sections of the folder are shiftable. This section l7 is pivoted at 16 to the drawing one-edge of the strip from the range of one of the needles, while the other edge is stitched-to the bodytfabric.

In Fig- 13,]: have shown the sections of' 'my improved folder as adapted to guide apreviously folded edgeor astrip. having aw'selvageedge, thatisj, said. sections of the folder do" not havefQlding lips but mere'ly guiding spaces. The section 52 is formed from a strip ofmetal bent into' U-shape, so as to providea pocket 53, while thesection 54i is also similarly constructed so as, to provide a pocket55. 'I he strip S, as

shown in Fig. 13, is selvage edge strip and .the edges are guided by the end walls of the pockets 53 and 55. The two sections 52 and 54 are mounted so that they may beshifted, as described in connection with the folder above.

" In Fig. 14 ofthe drawings, I have shown diagrammatically a strip S being stitched to a body fabric B by the needles 4; and 5.

In Fig. 15, I have shown the folder contracted so as to withdraw the edges of the I strip S from the range of the needles, said I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: j

1. The combinat on wlth stltch forming mechan1sm,-1nclud1ng spaced needles, and

a feeding mechanism, of a folder having means for guiding and folding the opposite vedges of a strip and directing the said opposite edges to the respective needles, and means whereby said folder may be contracted within the limit of the needles for Lsimultaneously withdrawing said folded edges from the range of the needles without stopping the stitching mechanism.

'2. The combination w1th stitch forming mechanism, including spaced needles and a feeding mechanism, of a folder having means .for guiding and folding the opposite edges of a strip and directing the said folded edges to the respective needles, means whereby said folder may be contracted within the limits of theneedles for. simultaneously withdrawing said folded edges from the range of the needles without stopping the stitching mechanism, and means for automatically returning said folder to its normal condition whereby the edges are directed within-the range of the needles;

3. A folder including in combination two sections cooperating to direct'a strip of fabric and fold the opposite edges thereof, and

means whereby said sections may be simultaneously moved toward and from each I other at the will of the operator without stopping the stitching mechamsm.

4. A folder including-in combination two sections cooperating to-direct 'a-strip of fabric and fold "the opposite edges thereof,

means for simultaneously moving the said sections toward each other at the will of the operator, and a spring for returning said sections to normal position when released by the operator. v

5. A. folder including in: combination two sections cooperating .0 guide and fold the opposite edges of a strip, means for pivot- 1 ally suppprting said sections adjacent the receiving ends thereof, and means for moving said lsec tions at the delivering end thereof simultaneously toward and eachother'for varying the width of the folded'strip at the will of the operator without stopping the stitching mechanism;

6. A folder including in combination two.

from

sections-cooperating to guide and fold the 'oppos'ite'edges of a strip, means for pivota'lly supporting said sections at points adjacent the receiving ends thereof, a sliding bar connected to each section, a pivoted lever attached to said sliding bars, the pivot of the lever being. located between the bars, whereby a swing of the lever will simultaneously move said sections toward of from each other.

7. A folder including in combination two sections co iperating to guide and fold the opposite edges of a strip, means for PlVlltally supporting said sections-at )OlllilS ad acent the receiving ends thereof, a slidillg bar connected to each section, a pivoted le or attached to said sliding bars, the pivot of the lever being locatwd between the bars, whereb a swing of lever will simultaneously move said sections toward or from each other, and stops for limiting the movement of-the lever for determinin the, ex-

tremeiposition of the sections of tliefolder.

; 8. A folder including in combinatio I two,v

sections coeperating to guide and fol the I opposite edges of a strip, means for p'ivotf ally supporting said sections at 'pointsfadjacent the receiving ends'thereof, a sliding bar connected to each section, a pivoted lever attached to said slidin bars, he pivot a",

the lever being'locate between the 'ba'rs, whereby a swing neously move sa1d sections towardor from eachv other, stops for limitingthe movement of the lever for determining the extreme position of the sections of-the folder, and a spring for moving the lever in one direction.

of the lever will simulta 9. The combination :ofa work support stitch forming mechanism including spaced needles, a presser foot, a feeding mechanism coiiperating with the presser 'foot, a folder located in front of the pressen foot and comprising two sections coiiperag'mg to fold upwardly the/opposite edges o a strip'and direct said edges tothe respective needles,

means for guiding a fabric above said folder,

whereby'the strip 'isstitched to the under .face thereo means for pivotally supporting said sections of the-strip folder adjacent their rece ving ends, said work sup ort having aslot extending therethroug a lug mounted on each section and projecting through said slot, a slidmgbar'mounted beto one of said each i 111%, a spring attached ars,.a lever attached to both of said sliding ,neath "the work support and connected to I slidingbars means forpivotally supporting 13o justable stops for limiting the movement of said lever. p

10." The combination of a work support, stitch forming mechanism including spaced needles, a presser foot, a feeding mechanism cooperating with the presser foot, a folder located in front of the presser foot and comprising two sections cooperating to fold upwardly the opposite edges of a strip and direct said edges to the respective needles, means for guiding a fabric above said folder, whereby the strip is stitched to the underface thereof, means for pivotally supporting said sections of the strip folder adjacent their receiving ends, said work support hav-' ing a slot extending therethro'ugh, a lug mounted on each section and pro ect1ng through said slot, a sliding bar .mounted beneath 'the work support and connected to each lug, a spring attached to one of said sliding bars, a lever attached to both of said sliding bars, means for pivotally supporting said lever between the'sliding bars, adjustable stops for limiting the movement of said lever, said means for guiding a fabric including an edge guide for a body fabric, and

a folder for folding the edge of a second piece of fabric and directing the same and the edge of the body fabric to one'of said needles.

11. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism including spaced needles,'and a feeding mechanism, of a guiding device disposed in advance of the needles for normally delivering the opposite edge portions of a strip of fabric to the respective needles,

said devices including members movable relative ;to each other for deflecting one of said edges from the path of its corresponding needle.

Y 12. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism including spaced needles, and a feeding mechanism, of a guiding devie disposed in advance of the needles for normally 1 delivering the opposite edge portions of a strip of fabric to the respective needles, said device including laterally movable delivery end portions, and means for moving said delivery end portions inwardly to deflect both edge portions of said strip from the paths of said needles.

13. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism including spaced needles and a feeding mechanism, of a guiding device disposed in advance ofthe needles for normally delivering the opposite. edge portions of a strip of fabric to the respective needles,

said device including laterally movable delivery end portlons, means under the control of the operator for moving said delivery end portions inwardly to deflect both edge portions of said strip from the paths of said needles, and means for automatically return- 14. A guiding device for a strip of fabric, including in combination, guiding sections having spaced side walls, the delivery end portions of said guiding sections being later ally movable, and means for moving said end portions to vary the width of the delivery end of said guiding device without varying the width of the receiving end of said device.

15. A guiding device for a strip of fabric, includingin combination, guiding sections having spaced side walls, the delivery end portions of said guiding sections-being laterally movable, means for moving said end portions to vary the width .of the delivery end of said guiding device without varying the width of the receiving end of said device, and means forautomatically returning said delivery end portions of said sections to their normal position. upon the release of said first-named means. v

16. In a sewing machine, the'combination with a stitch-forming mechanism including spaced needles, of a feeding mechanism, a

with stitch-forming mechanism including spaced needles, of a feeding mechanism, a folder provided with two laterally movable sections between which a strip is guided and folded and directed to the needles of the stitch forming mechanism, and means under the control of'the operator whereby said movable sections may be simultaneously moved toward and from each other at the will of the operator.

18. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism, including spaced needles, of a feeding mechanism, a guide including two laterally movable sec tions between which a strip is guided to the needles of the said stitch-forming mechanism, and means whereby said sections may be simultaneously moved toward and from each other without stopping the stitch-form ing mechanism.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism including spaced needles, of a feeding mechanism, a guide for directing a body fabric to said stitch-forming mechanism, said guide, including two laterally movable sections for directing a strip to the needles of said stitch- I forming mechanism, means including a knee press and connections between said knee pressand said lrnbvalole sections, Whgrgby sa-iiisecillons may be slmultaneously moved mward "each other, Without st pping the s'elifsching mechanism, and a spring'for automatically returning said guide sections to their initial posiiions upon release of said 1341a press.- 

